Dear Internet Visitor, Walt Disney Elementary School, a 1997 California Distinguished School and a model technology school, stresses the collaborative involvement of school staff, parents, and students. Each year the Walt Disney School staff and parents revise the school’s educational plan in order to address the academic, social, and emotional development of a diverse student population. Program evaluation is conducted at the end of each year in order to formulate new goals for the next school year. Concerning technology, Walt Disney School has an extensive technology plan that starts with our Mission Statement: "The Disney staff strongly believes that all students must learn from and explore ever increasing levels of a technology-enhanced curriculum so that students can manage and find information, communicate and produce meaningful products for living in a global society." Based upon the mission statement, several student standards were formulated. All students of Walt Disney School will: 1) Apply a variety of software applications to the creation of grade level integrated curriculum projects in Language Arts, Math, Science, History/Social Science, and the Arts; 2) Access and analyze reference information within curriculum areas in a variety of media formats, including the World Wide Web; 3) Develop thinking skills by completing technology-enhanced curriculum projects; and 4) Collaborate in heterogeneous groupings to produce technology-enhanced curriculum projects. Based on the above student standards, grade level expectancies for the integration of technology skills were formulated for grades K-5. A technology continuum of activities was developed which integrates with theme-based curriculum and interdisciplinary study. This continuum guides all teachers as to what technology skills need to be developed at each grade level, as well as identifying what software and curriculum projects are appropriate. Student technology-enhanced curriculum projects are evaluated as to acquisition of grade level concepts and student performance of integrated skills. We are proud of the accomplishments of students, staff, and parents who have worked together to maintain Disney as the center of quality learning. Within our website you will find student projects which illustrate our goals for students. Sincerely,
Dr. Linda E. Reksten, Principal